Modern DemonSummoning
by Althea SaDiablo
Summary: Demonsummoning and computers modern day. Hopefully a new take on it.


Modern Demon-Summoning  
by Althea SaDiablo  
  
Author's Note: I wrote this early last year, before I even knew about Slayers, before I'even gotten into anime. Scary thought. Anyway, I was going through my files, and I happened to find this, and realized that with a minimal amount of alteration it could work for Lina. And so, here it is. Please review- if this has actually turned out worthwhile, and I get enough people bugging me, I might expand it from a shutter-brief clip into a full-blown story. Or maybe it's best if I leave it as is . . . well, let me know!  
Inspirations: to an extent by Neil Gaiman's Cold Colors, from Angels & Visitations. Not sure if that one's in Smoke and Mirrors, but it's really, really good.  
  
  
  
It seems somehow appropriate that they would choose some an outdoor restaurant for the meeting, and that the day of the meeting should be bright, clear, and far too sunny for my liking. I sighed as I put my sunglasses away, squinting at the white tables and chairs scattered on the flagstone terrace. If this meeting took too long, I was sure to come away from it with a sunburn. My skin is just too unused to light to be able to deal with more than a half an hour's direct exposure.  
  
I had no idea who the man was, of course, but once I spotted him it was fairly obvious he was the one I wanted. He wore a simple white coat and pants, his pale blond hair falling straight over the edge of the collar, and he gave absolutely no sign of knowing that I was behind him. Though I had absolutely no doubt in my mind that he knew I was there, and what I was wearing, and that I was exactly two point oh-oh-five minutes late for our appointment.  
  
Angels are, of course, predictably prompt, which meant that he must have been waiting for that exact amount of time.  
  
Patiently, of course.  
  
I cleared my throat and walked around the table, settling in the chair across from him. He watched me calmly, with pale blue-grey eyes in a handsome, almost luminous face, perfectly composed. "Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, and his voice contained the faint ringing sound of bells. "How are you feeling?"  
  
That was just a bit too much, even for an angel. I frowned at him. "If you really want to be considerate, forget about all that garbage and get to the point."  
  
He seemed somewhat taken back by my rudeness, but he didn't lose a bit of his composure. "I understand that this is a little unprecedented. As a general rule, we do not usually ask for help from . . ."  
  
He paused, and I smiled. "Demon-summoners? I don't think there's a more polite term than that, so don't even try."  
  
"Yes, well," he continued. "We don't usually come to people . . . with your rather unique abilities-"  
  
"Ha," I muttered. Wasn't that a tactful way to put it.  
  
"-but when Word came that your skills were the type we needed, we immediately went to look up the one most suited to our purpose. And-"  
  
"I'm the best, yes, whatever. Cut to the chase."  
  
"We would like you to undertake a task for us, in Our name."  
  
I narrowed my eyes. "Forget it."  
  
"You are human, yes, we understand. You want payment for your time- we will see that you are properly compensated for your trouble-"  
  
I cut him off. "I said, forget it."  
  
"You don't even know what we are asking for yet!"  
  
"Absolutely out of the question," I snapped. Did he think I was an idiot? "I may be a demon-summoner, but I don't cut deals with you, Ruby Eye."  
  
The angel stared at me in complete and utter shock. "What?"  
  
"I said no. And would you get rid of the bells, please? It's a little overdone, and it's getting really annoying."  
  
"How did you know?" the bell-tone was gone, leaving behind a fairly ordinary and definitely piqued voice.  
  
"Rule fifty-six of demon summoning- be observant. Suffice to say that you're very . . . blatant."  
  
"You will not deal with me at all, then? I can make it worth your while, and then some."  
  
"Absolutely not. I'm not stupid, and that's why we're even having this conversation in the first place. I'm sure you've gotten word that I'm not to be trifled with."  
  
"Nor am I." The words were totally bland, without threat, which somehow made them terrifying. "Take care, Summoner. You're marked, now."  
  
"I've always been marked," I said calmly. "This is just the first time anyone's specifically come by to talk to me about it."  
  
He got up without saying anything more and walked away. I watched his progress, secretly disappointed that he didn't disappear in a cloud of smoke and brimstone. He was the far too old for that kind of theatrical nonsense, and to a much lesser degree so was I, but . . . oh, well.  
  
I got up and walked away from the table towards the gate of the terrace. A waiter paused in his rounds from table to kitchen to hold it open for me, and I paused to glance at him. "Don't look so nervous," I said. "I said no."  
  
He smiled at me, slightly lopsided and not at all surprised. "How did you know?"  
  
"That he wasn't an angel, or that you were?"  
  
"Either. Or both."  
  
"I didn't."  
  
He stared at me for a second. "But . . . if you hadn't known, he would have known that you were just testing him. He can always see doubt, even in a mind as strongly warded against him as yours is."  
  
"I wasn't doubtful, just . . . suspicious. I suppose its just part of being mortal. The automatic assumption that no one actually is who they say they are."  
  
"So, you summon demons and catch the Deceiver at his deception? You live a dangerous life, even by mortal standards."  
  
"Oh, no," I assured him. "Demon-summoning is just a hobby, really."  
  
This time he stared at me for more than a second. "Just a hobby?!"  
  
"It doesn't really pay that well anymore." I shrugged.  
  
"You summon demons recreationally? Ceipheed within me, what do you do for a living, then?"  
  
"Program computers." I shuddered. "Believe me, it's much worse." 


End file.
